the English
Government to spare.

Carpenter was in command of a Chinese Government despatch vessel--a
side-wheeler--which was immediately under the Viceroy's orders. She was
but lightly armed, but was very fast, as fast went in those days. His
ship had been lying in the filthy river for about a week, when, one
afternoon, a mandarin came off with a written order for him to get ready
to proceed to sea at daylight on the following morning. Previous
experience of his estimable and astute Chinese employers warned him not
to ask the fat-faced, almond-eyed mandarin any questions as to the
steamer's destination, or the duration of the voyage. He simply said
that he would be ready at the appointed time.

At daylight another mandarin, named Kwang--one of much higher rank than
his visitor of the previous day--came on board. He was attended by
thirty of the most ruffianly-looking scoundrels--even for Chinamen--that
the captain had ever seen. They were all well armed, and came off in a
large, well-appointed boat, which, the mandarin intimated with a polite
smile, was to be towed, if she was too heavy to be hoisted aboard. A
couple of hands were put in her, and she was veered astern. Then the
anchor was lifted, and the steamer started on her eighty miles trip down
the river to the sea, the mandarin informing the captain that he would
name the ship's destination as soon as they were clear of the land.

Most of Carpenter's officers were Europeans--Englishmen or
Americans--and one or two of them who spoke Chinese, attempted to enter
into conversation with the thirty braves, and endeavour to learn the
object of the steamer's mission. Their inquiries were met either with a
mocking jest or downright insult, and presently the mandarin, who
hitherto had preserved a smiling and affable demeanour as he sat on the
quarter-deck, turned to the captain with a sullen and ferocious aspect,
and bade him remind his officers that they had no business to question
the servants of the "high and excellent Viceroy."

But though neither Carpenter nor any of his officers could learn aught
about this sudden mission, one of their servants, a Chinese who was
deeply attached to his master, whispered tremblingly to him that the
mandarin and the thirty braves were in quest of one of the Viceroy's
most hated enemies--a noted leader of the Taepings who had escaped the
bloodied hands of Li Hung Chang, and whose retreat had been betrayed to
the cruel, merciless Li